Getting organized routinely tops people’s lists of New Year’s resolutions. After many months of accumulating a variety of items, starting fresh in January to organize those acquisitions can be a healthy endeavor.

One common obstacle to getting organized is sorting through belongings to decide what to keep and what to discard. In fact, uncertainty about what’s worth donating or throwing away often leads to clutter. These organizational tips can help people determine what to toss and what to keep.

Determine if items are useful.

Ask yourself whether you used the item in the last 30 to 90 days or whether you expect to need it in the next month. If not, this item can be tossed. A simple way to identify items that won’t be useful is to look for duplicates or expired items. Duplicate items can be immediately moved to the toss pile.

“Why do I want this item?”

Consider each item you encounter and ask yourself how it serves a purpose. If it looks great in the home or is a cherished memento, it can probably be kept. But if you can’t explain why you want it, it should find a new home, especially if you already have something else that does the same thing, but might also serve other purposes.

Does it fit?

One of the leading causes of clutter and overflowing closets is holding onto clothes in the hope that you’ll fit into them again someday. Keeping a collection of multi-sized shirts and pants to lose or gain weight so they fit again only results in hangers and bins filled with useless items. Although clothes can be expensive, if your weight fluctuates, you’ll probably want to buy new clothes instead of wearing outdated styles. When evaluating shoes, identify which ones are uncomfortable or rarely worn (a collection of sandals might not be suitable if you live in a cold climate). Donate items in good condition.

Do you still feel the same about collectibles?

People often collect figurines, shot glasses, or other items through the years out of habit. Over time, once popular items fall out of favor. If your interest in porcelain pigs has waned, it may be time to clear out collectibles to make room for other things.

Review your paper files.

Major financial records and business documents can be stored permanently, but other files can likely be shredded. The IRS generally has up to six years to audit a return, so it’s wise to keep tax returns and supporting documents for about seven years. Most people now use online bank statements and pay stubs, but the common advice is to keep bank and credit card statements, pay stubs, paid medical bills, and similar documents for a year before discarding them. Going digital by scanning and securely storing files or documents can be an alternative to bulky paper files.

Getting organized means figuring out what to keep and what needs to go, a process that differs for each person.